Brassiere



May 29, 1962 P. A. MOREHOUSE BRASSIERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 4, 1961 INVENTOR. Pm'mcm Q. MOEEHOUSE QTTORNEV May 29, 1962 P. A. MOREHOUSE BRASSIERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1961 INVENTOR. Pn'relcm H. MOREHOUSE BY Q HTTOENEV Patented May 2%, 1962 than 3,036,575 ERASEQERE Patricia A. Morehouse, Des Piaines, 111., assignor to The H. W. Gossard Ca, tjhicago, 1th, a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 4, 1961, $59!. No. 30,652 3 Claims. J1. Lid-489) This invention relates to brassieres and it has for its object to provide a novel and improved garment of this type which may be worn with complete comfort and freedom of movement to the wearer under all conditions of use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight uplift brassiere which adjusts to the constant changes in the body of the individual wearer, especially in the region of the lower bust and diaphragm, without interruption or restraint from rigid seams.

Still another object is to provide a brassiere of the type specified which is extremely simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

The brassiere disclosed herein for the purpose of illustrating the invention comprises a pair of inelastic bust pockets each including a relatively wide upper cup section of generally arcuate shape and a relatively narrow lower cup section of generally inverted pear shape which has its small peaked end at the bottom of the garment and its wider upper end secured to the central lower edge of the upper cup section, so that both the right and left side of each upper cup section extend out beyond the lower cap section of each bust pocket.

The inner side edge of each upper cup section is stitched to the narrow upper portion of a tapered inelastic median band which flares outwardly and has its wide end at the bottom of the garment, and the outer side edge of each upper cup section is stitched to an inelastic end section to which are stitched the usual means for securing the brassiere upon the body of the wearer.

Elastic inserts composed of two-way stretch elastic fabric are stitched to both side edges of each lower cup section of the brassiere, making a total of four such elastic inserts. Each such insert has its top edge secured to the lower edge of the adjacent upper cup section, and its lower edge secured to the bottom of the garment. The inner two elastic inserts have their inner side edges secured to the inelastic median band, and their outer side edges secured to the respective inelastic end sections of the garment. A marginal elastic tape is secured to the inner longitudinal edge of the brassiere all the way between the two end sections, and is stitched not only to said end sections but also to the lower peaked end of each composite bust pocket, the wide bottom end of the inelastic median band, and the lower edge of each of the abovementioned elastic inserts.

When the brassiere is on the figure, the gently uplifting elastic inserts permit the garment to adjust to any size variation from side to side, not only in the bust but also in the diaphragm area, as the wearer moves and breathes. Further adjustability is achieved through the special construction and shaping of the lower cup sections of 1313 bust pockets, the lower peaked portions of which may become part of the bottom marginal elastic band on smaller figures or be used to the utmost on larger figures.

The invention will be described more in detail in connection with a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the brassiere as viewed from the front;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view as seen from the rear;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the garment spread out, as viewed from the front; and

FIG. 4 is a similar but rear plan view.

The brassiere shown in the drawing comprises a front portion including a pair of bust pockets 1 and 2 connected together by a tapered inelastic median band 3 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is narrowed almost to a point at the top edge of the garment and has its sides flared symmetrically outward, in general conformity with the contour of the bustline, to cover an increasingly wider truncated pear-shaped area all the way to the bottom edge of the garment.

The bust pockets 1 and 2 are composed of soft inelastic fabric of generally rounded cup-shaped contour. Each consists of a relatively wide generally arcuate upper cup section 4 having its inner end stitched to th narrow upper side edge of median band 3 and its outer end stitched to the inner edge of an inelastic end section 5 extending from top to bottom of the garment, and a relatively narrow lower cup section 6 of generally inverted pear shape preferably composed of two pieces of fabric connected by central lines of stitching to facilitate shaping.

The upper edges of the lower cup sections 6, which are stitched to the lower central edges of the respective upper cup sections 4, are substantially narrower than said upper cup sections and they have symmetrically tapering side edges which are spaced from the sides of median band 3 and from the inner edges of the respective end sections 5 and terminate in narrow lower ends which are stitched to the bottom edge of the garment.

Elastic inserts 7 and 3 composed of light weight twoway stretch elastic net fabric, and which I call uplifting wings, secure the respective inner and outer side edges of lower cup sections 6 to the adjacent inelastic portions of the brassiere. Thus, each inner two-way stretch elastic insert 7 has its top edge stitched to the inner lower edge of the adjacent upper cup section '4, its side edges stitched to the respective side edges of median band 3 and to the side edge of the adjacent lower cup section 6, and its lower edge stitched to the bottom edge of the garment. And each outer two-way stretch elastic insert 8 has its top edge stitched to the outer lower edge of the adjacent upper cup section 4, its side edges stitched to the inner edge of the respective end sections 5 and to the side edge of the adjacent lower cup section 6, and its lower end stitched to the bottom edge of the garment. Due to the symmetrical complementary adjacent contour lines of the lower cup section 6, the median band 3 and the inelastic end sections 5 of the garment, the two-way stretch elastic inserts or wings 7 and 8 are of uniform width throughout, though curved as illustrated in conformity with the portions of the garment to which they are stitched.

Under-arm flaps 9 and 10 of inelastic fabric are stitched to the outer side edges of the inelastic end sections 5 of the brassiere. The flap 10 terminates in an elastic fabric band 12 the outer end of which has horizontally spaced pairs of eyelets 13 cooperating with hooks 14 on the outer end of flap 9 for adjustably and resiliently connecting the ends of the flaps together at the back of the brassiere when worn. Shoulder straps 15, preferably composed of inelastic ribbon with adjusting clasps 16, each have one end stitched to the central upper apex of the upper cup section 4 of an individual bust pocket, and the other end stitched to the respective under-arm flaps 9 and 10 as illustrated.

A lining of narrow one-way longitudinally stretchable elastic tape .17 is stitched to the lower longitudinal edge of the brassiere all the way between the seams which secure the respective end sections 5 to the under-arm flaps 9 and 10. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, the elastic tape 17 is stitched not only to the lower inelastic edges of end sec- J tions 5, lower cup sections 6 and median band 3, but also to the lower ends of the four elastic inserts 7 and 8. This elastic tape 17 yieldingly anchors the brassiere upon the body below the busts.

Due to the construction described and illustrated, the brassiere adjusts to the constant changes in the body, especially to variations from side to side in the area of the lower bust and diaphragm as the wearer moves and breathes, without any interruption or restraint from rigid seams. There are no rigid seams between the cups and the longitudinally stretchable tape 17 to interrupt the function of the elastic portions, which is to adjust the garment to the individual.

On fuller figures the breasts are always contained completely within the cups since the aforementioned exclusion of rigid, restraining seams allows the cups to expand along with the tape 17 to fit the individual figure type. Added adjustability is achieved through the shaping of the lower cup sections 6, the lower apex areas of which become part of the bottom margin of the garment on smaller figures but are filled out and used to the utmost on larger figures.

Although a specific garment has been shown and described herein for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is capable of various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A brassiere comprising a pair of bust pockets, inelastic end sections, an elastic tape extending along the lower edge of said brassiere, and means connected to said end sections to secure said brassiere upon the body of the wearer, a tapered inelastic median hand between said bust pockets with its narrow end at the top of the brassiere and its wide end secured to said elastic tape at the lower edge of said brassiere, each of said bust pockets including an upper cup section and a lower cup section, each of said upper cup sections having its inner edge secured to the narrow upper edge of said median band and its outer edge secured to the inner edge of the adjacent end section, and each of said lower cup sections having its upper edge secured to the lower edge of its respective upper cup section and having tapered side edges spaced from the adjacent side edge of said median band and from the inner edge of the adjacent end section and terminating in a narrow lower end which is secured to said elastic tape at the lower edge of said brassiere, and separate two-way stretch elastic inserts each having a top edge secured to the lower edge of an upper cup section, side edges secured to the respective tapered side edges of said lower cup sections and to the side edges of the respective median band and end section adjacent thereto, and a lower edge secured to said elastic tape at the lower edge of said brassiere.

2. A brassiere comprising a pair of bust pockets composed of soft inelastic fabric of generally rounded cupshaped contour, inelastic end sections, a one-way longitudinally stretchable elastic tape extending along the lower longitudinal edge of said brassiere and secured to said end sections, and means connected to said end sections for securing said brassiere upon the body of the wearer, a tapered inelastic median band of truncated pear shape between said bust pockets with its narrow end at the top of the brassiere and its wide end secured to said elastic tape at the lower longitudinal edge of said brassiere, each of said bust pockets including an upper cup section and a lower cup section, each of said upper cup sections having its inner edge stitched to the narrow upper edge of said median band and its outer edge stitched to the inner edge of the adjacent end section, and each of said lower cup sections having its upper edge stitched to the lower edge of its respective upper cup section and having symmetrically tapered side edges spaced from the adjacent side edge of said median band and from the inner edge of the adjacent end section and terminating in a narrow lower end which is stitched to said elastic tape at the lower longitudinal edge of said brassiere, and separate elastic inserts composed of two-way stretch elastic fabric each having a top edge stitched to the lower edge of an upper cup section, side edges stitched to the respective side edges of said lower cup sections and to the side edges of the respective median band and end section adjacent thereto, and a lower edge stitched to said elastic tape at the lower longitudinal edge of said brassiere.

3. A brassiere comprising a front portion having a pair of bust pockets composed of soft inelastic fabric of generally rounded cup-shaped contour, inelastic end sections,

a one-way longitudinally stretchable elastic tape extending along the lower longitudinal edge of said brassiere and secured to said end sections, and means including under-arm flaps connected to said end sections for securing said brassiere upon the body of the wearer, a tapered inelastic median band of truncated pear shape between said bust pockets with its narrow end at the top of the brassiere and its wide end stitched to said elastic tape at the lower longitudinal edge of said brassiere, each of said bust pockets including an upper cup section and a lower cup section, each of said upper cup sections being of generally arcuate contour having its inner edge stitched to the narrow upper edge of said median band and its outer edge stitched to the inner edge of the adjacent end section, and each of said lower cup sections having its upper edge stitched to the lower edge of its respective upper cup section and having symmetrically tapering side edges spaced from the adjacent side of said median band and from the inner edge of the adjacent end section and terminating in a narrow lower end which is stitched to said elastic tape at the lower longitudinal edge of said brassiere, a pair of inner elastic inserts composed of two-way stretch elastic fabric each having a top edge stitched to the inner lower edge of an individual upper cup section, side edges stitched to the respective side edges of said median band and to the inner side edge of the adjacent lower cup section, and a lower edge stitched to said elastic tape at the lower longitudinal edge of said brassiere, and a pair of outer elastic inserts composed of two-way stretch elastic fabric each having a top edge stitched to the outer lower edge of an individual upper cup section, side edges stitched to the inner edge of the adjacent end section and to the outer side edge of the adjacent lower cup section, and a lower edge stitched to said elastic tape at the lower longitudinal edge of said brassiere, said elastic inserts all being of substantially the same uniform width throughout their length from the lower edge of said upper cup sections to the lower longitudinal edge of said brassiere, and inelastic shoulder straps each having one end secured to one of said under-arm flaps and the other end secured to the central upper edge of the upper cup section of an individual bust pocket.

Rosenthal Oct. 11, 1955 Rydin June 13, 1961 

